LUCAS FORMULA - Hydroponic Grow Journal
- Thread starter GreenThumbSucker
- Start date
GreenThumb, firstly, great looking grow.
Now, a couple of questions, if you wouldn't mind:
1) You really prefer rez temps in the mid 50s? I grow in a "true" E&F, and have always understood that rez temps below 60 would be problematic - I'm asking because I'd prefer to not have to buy a reservoir heater, if I could help it - temps in my reservoir would be in the low 50s without it.
2) I'm also running the Lucas Formula (8mL of Floranova bloom per gallon), and I haven't changed out my reservoir yet (25 days of veg and about 7 of 12/12, as of today) - I simply top off with R/O water and nute as needed - did you ever try this method, or have you always changed out your rez every week or two? If you did try this method, what problems did you run into? I've just started adding 35% H2O2 when I top off, just to kill any nasties.
Anyways, great journal and thanks for your time - if you'd like, I always welcome comments in my journal, especially from others doing E&F.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
From what I have seen DWC systems work very well. It isnt really the system that works the magic but the hydroponics.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
I have had no problems whatsoever with a very cold reservoir. I have been told by an expert that it is part of my success. I will say this. My friends reservoir is getting into the 30s and 40s and his growth is slowing way down (cold snap where he lives and he is growing in a garage). I think 55ish - 65ish is probably ideal.
Last grow I went a couple of weeks between change outs and a few times I had nutrient deficiencies. I noticed that when I would change the reservoir, the would go through a growth spurt for a couple of days, then slow down a little. Growth seems to be more consistantly intense with more change outs.
One thing that I have found that works well is to do a half change out. Just dump half the res, top it off and bring ferts back up to normal. They react very well to it.
Glad you liked the journal
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Here are some pics:
Almost every hair on this plant was turned except the top four inches of the main cola. These pictures are all from the last plant.
Almost every hair on this plant was turned except the top four inches of the main cola. These pictures are all from the last plant.
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GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
This grow my temps were in the mid 50s throughout most of the budding cycle. Epic growth.
Thanks man, appreciate it - haven't seen any nute deficiencies as of yet, so I think I'm gonna just try to continue with topping off with R/O water and nute'ing that.
And as far as the temps go, gonna pickup an aquarium heater - figure the reservoir could get down to about 50, which is a bit too cold for my mamas and my clones.
The flowering tent reservoir is in the tent (which is between 63-82F), so I think that rez will be okay without a heater.
Thanks again.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Yes, it can. Plants use different nutrients at different rates at different stages.
Lucas says you can just top off and not change out solution the whole budding cycle with the Lucas formula. I have had problems doing that. Others say it works.
GTS, could you elaborate on some issues you've had, such as any specific nute deficiencies that you noticed?
Or was it a "the plants just didn't look healthy" kind of a thing?
Lovin'JK
Member
Hi Mr Smith. Im going to try topping off. I just flushed both my rez's yesterday and I know they could take the nutes. I did however see MAJOR problems topping off w/o ph'd water though.
I believe the more the rez evaps the more it throws the nutes off. Ive had salt build up even using DutchMaster 1/4 strength which is already weak as it is.
Any Updates on the babies GTS?
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Four things I have noticed from going on too long between change outs using the Lucas Formula:
1. Slower growth: The further away you get from a solution change out, the more lackluster the growth becomes.
2. Nute burn: During flowering they use nitrogen at a lesser rate than phosphorus, thus it builds up. I have noticed leaf tip burn after going a couple of weeks between change outs, particularly in later bloom.
3. Unidentified deficiencies: Ive had leaves turn yellow, the veins of the shade leaves turn colors, scale looking crap on older leaves (magnesium deficiency). When you see any sign of deficiency it is time to change out solution, except in very late bloom when the plant begins dying and turning yellow.
4. Nutrient lockout: When I started getting random deficiencies after a couple of weeks, giving them more fertilizer didnt solve the problem. They plants just wouldnt use it. I suspect that some nutrients lock out for whatever reason after a while.
In every case changing the solution solved it.
There are two rules for changing out solution.
Addback rule: When you have added back an amount equal to the size of the reservoir, change out the solution. Keep track of how much water you give when you top off.
PH Rule: When PH starts dropping instead of rising, change out solution.
My rule: Change out solution every week OR do a half change out, then every other week do a full change out of solution.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Now that you mention it, yes.
I went and picked up 6 blackberry plants, one MK Ultra and 8 blueberry plants from my dispensary. They are all very small cuttings so I will let them idle for about ten days to spread their roots.
The AK47 dried. Got 11 OZ + 27 grams off of it. Kept 4 OZ of it.
Still have eight plants drying.
Lovin'JK
Member
The Yield your achieving is amazing. Im going to build a bucket system to try here soon. A while back a buddy gave me some MK Ultra to try and it was simply amazing. BOMB BOMB congrats man.
Really appreciate that info, my friend.
Thing is, the plants are going through about 5 gallons a day from my 35 gallon reservoir, so the reservoir is basically emptied out each week (I know about using nutes at different rates, but it's close enough for me for the time being).
I'm gonna (try to, barring any serious issues I encounter) continue topping off for this entire grow, and see what happens - for my next grow, I'll change out the rez every two weeks, and compare the results.
Again, thanks so much for your time and input, I really, really appreciate it.
Tried to give you some more rep but it wouldn't let me kiss-ass
Lovin'JK
Member
Yea I have two 10 Gal Rez's and the plants use about a 3 gallons between both of em daily. Im just going to top off with a 1/4 strength solution to see if thatll not overfeed them.
GreenThumbSucker
Well-Known Member
Everything has dried. I ended up keeping a pound total. Everything else went to the dispensary.
The total finished weight is 94.8 oz or 5.8 lbs. I got 5 lbs and 14.8 oz. The last eight plants yielded 54 oz or 6.75 oz per plant.
Mistakes: What would I do different?
First thing, when I vegetated them, I turned them when the plants filled about half the floor space. Ended up being packed in like sardines within a week. Next time I will turn them when they fill 1/3 of the floor space. All in all though they dont seem to mind so much being tightly together. Just made it hard to move around in the room.
The plants under the cheap 'econo wing' reflector seemed to do better than the plants under the expensive parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector spread the light out evenly over a wide circle though, very good for vegetative.
I access my grow room from the end instead of from the side. This makes it hard to maneuver around inside the room to do work. This is something that needs to be dealt with in the future and the room reconfigured. I am using half of an unfinished bedroom in the basement.
Questions, comments, suggestions?
The total finished weight is 94.8 oz or 5.8 lbs. I got 5 lbs and 14.8 oz. The last eight plants yielded 54 oz or 6.75 oz per plant.
Mistakes: What would I do different?
First thing, when I vegetated them, I turned them when the plants filled about half the floor space. Ended up being packed in like sardines within a week. Next time I will turn them when they fill 1/3 of the floor space. All in all though they dont seem to mind so much being tightly together. Just made it hard to move around in the room.
The plants under the cheap 'econo wing' reflector seemed to do better than the plants under the expensive parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector spread the light out evenly over a wide circle though, very good for vegetative.
I access my grow room from the end instead of from the side. This makes it hard to maneuver around inside the room to do work. This is something that needs to be dealt with in the future and the room reconfigured. I am using half of an unfinished bedroom in the basement.
Questions, comments, suggestions?
